NORTHROP P-61 BLACK WIDOW
P-61 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | Northrop Aircraft Inc., Hawthorne, California, USA |
| Model: | NS-8A |
| Designations: | P-61; F-15, F-61, F2T, R-15 |
| Names: | Black Widow; Reporter (F-15) |
| First official flight: | (XP-61) 26/05/1942 |
| Factory production period: | 1942 - 1947 |
| Primary service period: | 1943 - 1949 |
| Last official flight: | (RF-61C) 1952 |
P-61 VARIANTS
| 1942 | Model NS-8A | XP-61 | 2 | |
| 1943 | Model NS-8A | YP-61 | 13 | Total: 015 |
| 1943 | Model NS-8A | P-61A | 200 | |
| 1944 | Model NS-8A | P-61B | 450 | |
| 1945 | Model NS-8A | P-61C | 41 | Total: 691 |
| 1946 | Model NS-8A | F-15A | 36 | Total: 036 |
|
Grand Total: 742 |
P-61 PRODUCTION
XP-61
Prototype night-fighter, twin engine, twin boom.
Produced 1942
Northrop Hawthorne, California (NO)
| 41-19509, 41-19510 | ? |
Total: 002 |
YP-61
As XP-61, service test aircraft, engine upgrade.
Produced 1943
Northrop Hawthorne, California (NO)
| 41-18876 / 41-18888 | ? |
Total: 013 |
P-61A
As YP-61, revised canopy, last 155 with engine upgrade,
last 163 without top turret, combat modifications.
Redesignated as F-61A in 1948.
Produced
Northrop Hawthorne, California (NO)
| 42-5485 / 42-5634 | ? | |
| 42-39348 / 42-39397 | ? |
Total: 200 |
P-61B
As P-61A, longer nose - radar upgrade, top turret
re-installed on later airframes.
Redesignated as F-61B in 1948.
Produced
Northrop Hawthorne, California (NO)
| 42-39398 / 42-39757 | ? | |
| 43-8231 / 43-8320 | ? |
Total: 450 |
P-61C
As P-61B, engine / prop upgrade, air-brakes.
Redesignated as F-61C in 1948.
Produced
Northrop Hawthorne, California (NO)
| 43-8321 / 43-8361 | ? |
Total: 041 |
| 551 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
F-15A Reporter
As XF-15A, photo reconn. version, redesigned
nose section for cameras, unarmed.
Later redesignated R-15A, then RF-61C in 1948.
Produced 1946 - 1947
Northrop Hawthorne, California (NO)
| 45-59300 / 45-59335 | 3201 / 3236 |
Total: 036 |
| 139 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
|
Grand Total: 742 |
P-61 CONVERSIONS
USAAF
| XP-61D | 2 | P-61A(42-5559, 42-5587), 1944-1946, major engine
upgrade. Original designation was XP-61C. Conversions by Goodyear Aircraft Corp., Ohio. |
| XP-61E | 2 | P-61B(42-39549, 42-39557), 1945, major redesign of center
section and cockpit (bubble canopy), armament altered for day-fighter tests. |
| (XF-15) | 1 | XP-61E(42-39549), 1945, conversion with 6 cameras in modified nose. |
| XP-61F | - | Proposed conversion similar to XP-61E, cancelled. |
| P-61G | 16 | P-61B, 1945, weather reconnaissance conversions,
unarmed. Conversions by Douglas Aircraft Co., Oklahoma. |
| XP-61H | - | Proposed long-range conversion with fuel tank in place of gun
turret. Many P-61's field converted to this standard with same designation. |
| XF-15A | 1 | P-61C(43-8335), 1945, prototype conversion with XF-15 fuselage. |
| ZF-61A | 1+ | F-61A, redesignation as "obsolete". |
| EF-61C | 1 | F-61C(43-8357), conversion as electronics test aircraft. |
US Navy
| F2T-1N |
12 |
P-61A, 1945-1947, crew trainers in service with the
USMC. Assigned BuNo. 52750 / 52761. |
CIVILIAN SERVICE
- Some P-61's sold on the civil market post WW2 as fire-bombers,
private executive transports and circuit racers etc.